Enhancing your home’s exterior is more than just adding curb appeal; these are investments that can increase your home’s aesthetic and monetary value. Making your home’s exterior look more expensive requires strategic planning and budgeting to create an overall impression of luxury and sophistication.
Whether you want to impress guests, potential homebuyers, or satisfy your own aesthetic desires, making your home’s exterior look more expensive provides an opportunity for both creative expression and financial growth.
Making Your Home’s Exterior Look More Expensive
There are numerous ways to make the exterior of your home look more luxurious. Some are less expensive than others, but they will all improve the appearance of your home.
Complete a Thorough Cleaning
One of the best and least expensive ways to improve the appearance of your home’s exterior is to complete a deep and thorough cleaning. Deep cleaning the exterior of your home primarily involves pressure washing. A pressure washer will remove dirt, grime, mold, and other stains on the surface of brick, stone, and siding.
Cleaning the windows, gutters, roof, decks, patios, and porches is the next step. Attention to exterior details like windows makes a huge difference in the look and atmosphere of the house. Some of these items, like the roof and gutters, may require professional expertise, which will increase the cost of the process. Yard and landscape cleaning and maintenance are also part of exterior cleaning.
Paint Your Front Door
A fresh coat of paint can instantly update a tired and outdated front door. This is a simple DIY project that you can complete over the weekend. Begin by selecting a color for the front door. Classic colors such as black, red, blue, and green can give your home a timeless and sophisticated appearance. Or consider trendy choices like sage or yellow to give instant curb appeal.
Before you begin painting, clean and sand the surface to remove any imperfections. Tape or remove hardware, then apply primer. Use a satin or semi-gloss sheen to enhance the richness of the door. Allow it to completely dry before reattaching the hardware and other accessories.
Add Lighting
Thoughtfully placed light fixtures help to increase a home’s aesthetics by making it more inviting and highlighting exterior architectural features. Choose light fixtures that flank or surround your front door with special care, as these are the most visible. Strategic spot lighting can highlight architectural features such as columns, arches, windows, and facades and landscape details like trees and flower beds, giving your home more depth and dimension. Illuminate pathways, walkways, and driveways with stake lights or recessed lighting to improve safety and navigation.
Choose lights made of high-quality materials like brass, copper, steel, or wrought iron that complement your home’s exterior colors. Multiple options for smart lights exist that utilize energy-efficient technology and smart control mechanisms.
Pay Attention to Your Entry
Your entry is the most vital focal point of your home. To improve the appearance of your home, make your front door and entry space look well-kept and cohesive. In addition to cleaning and painting your front door, you can add color and texture to your entryway by placing plants in attractive containers or planting them near your entrance. You can make your entrance look more inviting with seating and signage. Upgrading visible hardware such as door knobs, kick plates, and locks, as well as adding distinctive house numbers, are small changes that can improve the look of your home.
Decorate With Window Boxes
For certain types of homes, window boxes are an excellent way to bring color, depth, and texture to a home’s exterior. Carefully crafted window boxes add architectural interest and break up a flat exterior. This is a particularly good strategy if your home lacks distinctive features. They provide a canvas for showcasing various types of flowers and plants that you can rotate with the changing seasons.
Window boxes are relatively easy to install and maintain, and they are available in a variety of sizes and designs to work with a variety of home styles. Choose durable materials for your window boxes, such as cedar, fiberglass, metal, or PVC, that can withstand the elements while requiring little maintenance.
Incorporate Outdoor Seating
Adding outdoor seating is an excellent way to elevate the look and feel of your home’s exterior while creating inviting spaces for relaxation, entertainment, and enjoyment of nature. Whether you have a spacious backyard, a cozy patio, or a small balcony, outdoor seating can bring a new dimension to the enjoyment of your home.
Your outdoor seating arrangement does not have to be large to be enjoyable. Even one or two elements can add benefits to your home. Outdoor seating increases the living and dining area for outdoor relaxation, al fresco meals, and your first morning coffee. While outdoor seating is the most usable during certain months, you can extend the season you use it by incorporating features like heaters, fire pits, and awnings.
Update the Garage Door
Garage doors are some of the most visible elements on the outside of a home, and certain garage door styles will date a house more quickly than other exterior details. If you have the budget to add more modern garage doors, this can instantly refresh the style of your home. Choose doors with simple, clean lines that complement your exterior design. Carriage-style doors, sectional doors with windows, and custom-designed doors with specific window and door configurations for your home are all popular garage door types.
For a more cost-effective update, merely cleaning, painting, and adding new hardware to your garage door will benefit your home’s exterior.
Upgrade Your Mailbox
Investing in a high-quality mailbox design can improve the overall appearance because it is frequently the first thing guests see when they arrive at your property. Select a mailbox style, such as post-mounted, wall-mounted, pedestal, or decorative mailboxes, that complements the architectural style of your house. Mailboxes include a variety of features, such as spacious compartments for small packages, secure locking doors, and outgoing mail indicators, which improve functionality and convenience.
Common mailbox materials include stainless steel, aluminum, galvanized steel, cast aluminum, and powder-coated steel. They differ in weight and strength; the more expensive, heavier, and more resilient materials can withstand weathering and corrosion better than lightweight materials.
Install House Numbers
Accessorizing your exterior with high-quality and stylish house numbers is a small but impactful choice that demonstrates your attention to the details of your home. They also provide the opportunity to add personality, style, and sophistication to your exterior. To enhance the appearance of your home, select high-quality numbers or plate material such as stainless steel, brass, bronze, or cast iron. These are durable, weather-resistant, and have a timeless appeal. Look for a number or plate style that reflects a specific architectural aesthetic or personal preference, such as traditional, rustic, eclectic, or modern.
Place the numbers in a prominent location so that they are visible from the street. Mount them against a solid background, such as a column, eave, front door, or siding face. Experiment with the placement to ensure that you have selected the best location for your home. To improve safety and visibility, illuminate the numbers or plate with a spotlight.
